Right Beaches › California › Big Sur
Partington Cove
4.9★ · 480 Google ratings · Big Sur, California
✓ Parking✓ Short walk✓ Free
At a glance
Parking
Parking lot · 325 yd away · free
Access
Open around the clock
Walk
330 ft · 1 min
Cost
Free
Water
62°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Sand
140 ft from the water to the back
Crowds
Quietest Tue 8am
Map of Partington Cove
Guide
Good to know
Free parking reported
Visitors report no charge to park here.Mentioned by 6 visitors · 2016–2026
Explore both trail branches
One path leads through a historic tunnel to a dramatic cove, while the other descends to a rocky.
Arrive before 9am on weekends
One visitor had the entire cove to themselves at that time, but it looked crowded by 3pm.
Prepare for steep uphill return
The walk down takes 10-15 minutes, but the return climb takes 20-30 minutes and feels like a stairmaster.
Bring water and wear sturdy shoes
The trail is dusty and unshaded, and the return hike can feel exhausting without hydration.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
65°F · clear
Water
62°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Waves
4.5 ft · 11 s apart
Wind
6 mph from the NW
Shelter
Cross-shore · wind running along the beach
UV index
7 peak today
Last updated Sep 4, 5:32 AM.
Crowds
When it gets busy
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QuietBusy
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 51700 CA-1, Big Sur, CA 93920
🅿 Parking 325 yd from the listing
🌊 Water 330 ft away, about 1 min walk
Nearby
Other beaches close by
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Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at Partington Cove?
The nearest mapped parking area is 325 yd from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at Partington Cove?
50 ft in a straight line from the listing to the mapped shoreline, under a minute. Soft sand and dune make the real walk longer than the straight line.
Does Partington Cove have restrooms?
No restrooms are mapped within 600 m on OpenStreetMap. That means nobody has mapped any, which is not the same as there being none.
When is Partington Cove least busy?
Google visit patterns put the quietest hour at Tue 8am and the busiest at Sun 7pm.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
